Ballet slipper and process of making same



Feb.4',1930;" j EWTIL ON 1,746,019

BALLET SLIPPER AND PROCESS OF MAKING SAME Filed Jan. 7, 1925 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 4, 1930.

E. w. TIL TON 1,746,019

BALLET SLIPPER AND PROCESS OF MAKING SAME Filed Jan. 7, 1925 2Sheets-Shet 2 KZI'ZOGIZZOI" v illustrating the practical construction ofmy improved shoe, 5 designates anupper. of soft,.; V

sole with. the'shoe turned with its norm al Patented Feb. 4, 1930 IPATENr oFFIce I. g

" nnwm' -wnLxnn TILToItoF fifAvERHILt, MASSACHUSETTS, AssieivonTo LE ILESTER OQWANf p BALLET SLIPPERVANVD rnocEss F AKINGsAME Applicationfiled. January 7, 1925. SerialNo, 1,093.

Lil-his invention relates to improvements in V *dancingslippersor shoesand oneof 1ts leading objects is-to provide a non-collapsible toe whichwill not be bulky in appearance and which will provide firm support for]the dancer, withoutbinding or cramping the foot I of the wearer.

- Another object of the invention is the pro vision of a dancing orballet slipper or shoe having a toe box located between the upperleather and a reinforcingfabric, the forward marginal edge portions ofwhlch are secured bet-ween the insole and the base of the toe I'Anotherobject-of the invention is the pro:

vision of aprocess for making shoes of this type, by a speclalturningoperat1on,'used1n connection with the particular toe box and mounting.With the above and; other objects in View 'the invention. consists incertain -new and useful constructions, combinations and arrangements ofparts, clearly described in the following specification and fullyillustrated rw '25 in the accompanying drawings, in'which Fig. 1 is aside elevation, of a completed slipper. V g I Fig. 2 is a top 'plan viewthereof.

1 Fig. 3 is a-bottom plan View of a partly r completed slipper, showingthe upper leather "for; covering the-toe box partly secured in position;f Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of the toe of the slipper.

.1 Fig. 5 is a detail transversesectional view through the toe portion.of theslipper;

- Fig. 6 is a partial perspective View ofthe 'toe portion of the slippershowing the margi-' *nal edges of the toe portion ofthe upperfolded backfrom the -insole." 1 1 Fig. 7 is anothertransverse 'sectional.view takenthrough the rear portion ofthesole. Fig. 8 is a bottom plan viewjof thetoeboX.

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section thereof.

Referring to the accompanying drawings fiexibleleather, and6j the'outersole. The outer soleis made shorter and narrower than the. bottom of.the :upper, and is constructed :The forward portion of the upper5 pro-;vided with a reinforce of canvas 8, which is sewed'withthe toe cap 5 ofthe upper tothe body of the upper, by slanting seams,.i'ndicated at9,.one locatedon each'side ofthe forward half of the upper. I Y I r Theupper 5 is provided with the usual 'cloth or fabric lining 5", sewedthereto, and

the lower marginal edge portions of the rear 'm part of the upperleather and the cloth lining are sewed to the outer sole, by stitches 13being received in the-cut 6 and through the shoulder 6, as shown in Fig.7. The toe portion of the lining 5 and the canvasreinforce 8 arestitchedto outer sole by the stitches 13 passing through the shoulder 6 and intothe channel or cut 6, leaving the top cap-5 un attached. The upper 5 andthe cloth lining 5 are attached to the outer sole by turning the upperinside out,andafter the clothis completely' sewed and the jupperispartly attached by a sewing operation through the out 6, and theshoulder 6*,the construction of the toe is subsequently completed,b'yturning'the shoe with its normal inside in andinserting the innersole 7 g The, rigid leather box 'toe 10 then is dis- .posed between thetoe cap 5 and the reinforce 8, after'which operation the--base flangeof' '90 the toe box andthe outer edge of the reinforce and'lining aretacked by tacks 10' to the inner sole 7 while the shoe is held on theiron'last; Then the toe cap of' the upper leather is worked into aseries of tucks and directly to the outer sole. r V Sincethe toe cap 5is sewed to the outer inside inwardly, itiis desirable, among otherreasons, to sew' the toe cap to the outer sole 200 stitched V forced intheir normal position, after com- 7 pleting the stitching operation,which will now be fully explained.

As previously described, the toe cap 5 is worked into a seriesof tucksbetween the outer sole and the box 10, after which theneedles areprojected through the grooves 11 and 12, shoulder 6., and throughthe-lower edge of the toe cap. The stitches are then drawn tight sothatthe stitching thread will not project from the surface of the outersole, and will in factbe wholly concealed by the lips of the grooves 11and 12.

In this manner, the toe cap is sewed to the outer sole ina similarmanner as if the box 10 formed while the shoe is turned with its outerside in. Moreover, the box toe is securely fastened'to the outer soleandv lncor porated in the progressive construction of the shoe, vwherebyit is unadapted to become loosened.

An advantage of the invention is that a stiffened box toe 10, formedfrom leather or other suitable material, may be inserted between thereinforced lining and the upper leather, and secured in position afterthe upper is made and a portion ofit is sewed to the outer sole whilethe shoe is turned, and without the unsatisfactory necessity offorcing-the box toe into position after the entire upperhas been securedto the outer sole.

A formed or amoulded box toe of leather or other. material may thus beused, to effect great durability of the toe of the slipper retaining itsoriginal shape.

As usual, the forward portion of the shoe is disposed :at an obliqueangle tothe rear portion thereof. The usual tightening cord is arrangedaround the marginal portion of the mouth of the shoe, and the usualeyelets may be provided for lacing'the shoe. to the foot of the wearer.

It is quite apparent that an important feature of the invention is themethod of sewing the lower edge-of the toe capo to the outer sole 6. t

The grooves 11 and 12, as shown, merely represent a convenient meansofpermitting a worker to protrude the point of the needle, bearing thethread 13', through the outer sole which generally is of tough leather.Moreover, the directions in which the grooves'ex tend enable the workerto quicklyand con- ;veniently pass the needle and thread successivelythroughthe outer sole directly into and through the'lower edge of thetoe cap, and vice versa. Usually two threaded needles are simultaneouslyprojected,-in opposite directions, through the materials.

During the sewing operations the materials of the slipper, except thebox toe 10, are pliable. When the 'slipper is completely sewed the edgesof theupper may be trimmed closely to the stitches whereby, although thetoe cap is sewed when the normal outer side of the shoe is turned out,the completed slipper appears. to have been sewed completely while thenormal outer side is turned in.

Another important advantage of the method is that the box toe 10 issecurely tacked, or otherwise fastened to the outer sole, while the toecap is capable of being folded rearwardly of the slipper to permit theworker to have free and unobstructed access to the box toe. Otherwise,where the toe cap is sewed :to the outer sole, and after'which the thebox toe is inserted, thedifiiculty of a worker in securing the boxtoein'position has been such that after the slipper -is inuse a shortperiod the box becomesloosened from its point of anchorage.- And if thebox toe is constructed from ulaminations of canvas, afterward treated toform a stifi and inflexible box toe, the perspiration of the feet of theand constructions of my invention by the herein drawings andexplanations of the same, it is understood that the invention res sidesin the combination, arrangement of the parts and in'the details of theconstruction, as hereinafter claimed. It is further understood thatchanges in the preciseembodimentof the invention, as disclosedherein,-can be made within the scope ofwhat is claimed without departingfrom the spirit of theinvention, as other expedients may readily suggestthemselvesto the art.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is V v 1. Amethod of making a ballet slipper comprising an upper having a toe capand an outer so-le, -said method comprising first sewing the upper,except the toe cap, to the outer sole, with the upper turned inside out,then turning said upper, then sewing. the toe cap to the outer sole bydrawing the thread successively through.- a central portion 1 of the 1outer sole and through the lower edge of said toe cap. I V I 2. A methodof making a ballet slipper, having a toe cap, comprising first sewingthe 'upper, except the toe cap, to the outer sole, with the upper turnedinside out, then turning said upper, then sewing'the toe cap 'to theouter sole by. drawing the thread successively through the outer. soleand through the lower edge of said toe cap. 3. A method of making aballet slipper comprising an upper, having a toeflcap,an

outer sole having a recess therein, an inner through said recess-tosecure the edge of said toe cap to said. outer sole.

4. A method of making a ballet slipper having a toe cap, comprisingfirst sewing the upper, exceptthe toe cap, to the outer sole, with theupper turned inside out, then turning said upper, then securing a boxtoe to the-inner sole, then tucking the edge of said toe cap over saidbox toe and then sewing the edge of said toe cap to said outer'sole, by

drawing the thread through the lower edge of said upper and through thecentral porupper, and then-sewing saidtoe cap to outer sole through saidgroove.

the

7. A method of making a ballet slipper comprising forming a groove inthe front portion of the outer sole, then, with the normal inside of theupper, havlnga toe cap,

turned out, sewing the rear portion of said upper to said outer sole,then inserting a box toe adjacent thefront portion of said outer sole,then covering the box toe with the toe cap of said upper and sewing theedge of said'toe cap to said outer sole by inserting thread through saidgroove and through the edge of said toe cap.

8. A method of making a ballet slipper comprising forming a groove insaid outer sole, then with the normal inside of the upper turned out,sewing a portion of said upper, having a toefcap, to said outer sole,then inserting an innersole in said slipper, then of said inner sole,then covering the box toe with the toe cap of said upper and sewing 85securing a box toe adjacent to front portion the edge of said toe cap tosaid outer sole by drawing thread through said groove and through theedge of said toe cap.

Signed by me at Haverhill, Mass.

EDWIN WALKER TILTON.

tion of said outer sole, substantially as described.

5. A method of making a ballet slipper comprising forming a cut inthemarginal portion of the upper side of the outer sole having a groovetherein, said out slanting downwardly and outwardly, then, while the vnormal inside of the upper is turned out, sewing, through said cut, thelower edge of the rear portion of the upper of said slipper to saidouter sole, said upper having a toe cap, then turning said upper. andinserting an inner sole in said slipper, then securing a leather box toehaving a flat front to the lower side of said inner sole at the frontthereof, then covering said box toe with the toe cap of said upper,and'then, through said groove, sewing said toe cap to the outer sole.

6. A method of making a shoe, which includes forming a groove in theouter sole, then, while the normal inside of the upper is turned out,sewing the lower edge of the rear portion of the upper and the completecanvas lining of said shoe, except the toe cap, of the upper to saidouter sole,'then turning the normal outside of said shoe out andinserting an inner sole in the slipper, then securing a box toe in saidshoe to the lower side of said inner sole at the frontthereof,thencovering' said box toe with the toe cap of said

